...but you're not.

If you consider cyberspace as a piece of physical real estate, the government in cooperation with higher education planted the flag. Like most colonies, businesses and settlers showed up and began to use the land in the way that benefited them best. The government, while still there, was largely forgotten.

As more commerce occurred in this fertile land, foreign nations began to get interested. Most simply traded with the colonists and businesses, but some who thought the planet was their destiny, eyed the nation of cyberspace with a greedy eye.

Seeing a golden opportunity with the government asleep at the switch (no pun intended), other nations began to send incursions into the land to see what would happen. These weren't really raiding parties so much as a scouting unit with the mandate to test the government's ability and willingness to defend their land.

We know that one day nations will fight over the ability to control information. This is a resource like any other, and wars are fought over them. When this happens, what are the possible solutions? How would you like it to happen? In truth, the US government is regarding this as an invasion, but is unsure about how to react because it is not a physical venue.

What I would like to see is the equivalent of a national militia. No real government involvement other than communication, but a solid wall of protection from every business and the personal ISPs need to have security equivalent to a walled city. Yes, this will make some things like remote administration a pain in the a$$, but I would be willing to forgo a little convenience for security.

I am not willing to abridge my freedoms for security, which is what would be the effect if governments engaged in full cyberwarfare. It would be like a couple of teenage boys kicking all the toddlers out of the sandbox so they can fight over the love of a girl. The toddlers don't care about the issue, but it impacts their activities, and in the end, everyone is unhappy.